Polish fertilizer producers investigated by monopoly authorities

Warsaw (Puls Biznesu) – Five biggest fertilizer producers are investigated by the Polish antimonopoly authorities UOKiK. MPs believe that they had agreement with distributors adversely affecting the farmers. Last week, the employees of the Polish antimonopoly authorities UOKiK accompanies by police, entered five Polish fertilizer producers, including Tarnow, Anwil, Pulawy, Police and Kedzierzyn. Offices were investigated, documents checked, employees asked questions. The control covered sales policies of the companies and their activities connected with the production and sales of fertilizers since 1998. The producers were accused of a cartel. UOKiK investigated Poland’s biggest fertilizer producers. Wojciech Mojzesowicz, an MP of PiS ruling party believes that distributors monopolized the market.The industry assures that there was no cartel agreement.“In the EU we are closely watched by the European Commission while EFMA, the biggest association of fertilizer producers in Europe, watches the prices on the European market. There can be no cartel agreement”, Wojciech Lubiewa-Wielezynski, the CEO of the Polish Chamber of the Chemical Industry said.Representatives of the companies stress that in March, the fertilizer prices were lower than in March 2005 despite higher gas prices. Gas is the basic material used while producing azote fertilizers.